The millennial reign
There is only one verse in the Bible that speaks of a "thousand year reign". It is this verse that the doctrine of men called "The Millennium" is derived from. If you read this very carefully, you will see that it does not say what we have been taught in Sunday School, nor as many think it says. It does not say Christ went to earth and reigned on earth for a thousand years, but that those who *died* "came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years":
(Rev 20:4-6) Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
One at a time. 1. "Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed".
First, John saw "thrones", and "authority to judge" was given to those who sat there upon. Where are these thrones, and who were these upon them? :
Luk 22:28-30 "You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
The thrones John seen were those of the twelve Apostles. Where are the Apostles?...They are not in their graves:
(KJV) Luke 20:37-38 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
They be in the Kingdom of God and the Lamb upon thrones of judgment, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus said this to his Apostles...
Joh 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
They are not in their graves. They live as Christ lives and have received their reward, and this is where...
(KJV) Acts 7:55-56 But he, ( Stephen ) being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Next...
2. "Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years".
This next group mentioned above, they died. They came back to life. There was a horrible persecution of Christians by Nero. Those who died came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. It does not say Christ went to Earth and reigned with the living for a thousand years.
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3. "This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years".
These are blessed first century workers of the gospel. They are worthy, because they were the first to preach the gospel, and the first to die. They died for preaching the everlasting gospel in the first century. They became priests of God and of Christ and they reigned for a "thousand years". It does not say Christ went to Earth and reigned over the living, but that those who died reigned with God and Christ.
Again:
(KJV) Rev 20:4-6 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
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Where has Christ been all this time? In the kingdom of God and the Lamb that did not come with observation, a spirit realm where flesh cannot go, a high mountain, but the kingdom of God is manifest within the spirit of mankind as they live. As the lightning shines from east to west, so too is the kingdom of God! As we put off the flesh our spirit can enter into this paradise of God.
Jesus is the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. He reigns now and forever. His Kingdom is not of this world. You sing "He reigns", you sing "King of Kings", yet you believe he does not yet reign over the kings of the earth , or is not yet the king of kings, that his kingdom and reign are yet to come. I am sure that makes Him sad. Because The Son of God sits at the right hand of the power of God now and forever.
(KJV) Acts 7:55-56 But he, ( Stephen ) being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
If Jesus was going to physically reign on Earth for a thousand years, He would have said so as He taught His disciples during His lifetime. The Pharisees thought Messiah was to set up a physical kingdom and reign physically, they had read the words of the prophets before Him too, and they were convinced that the Christ was to establish an earthly reign, they were intimidated by JESUS, thinking Jesus was going to boot them off their little chairs called thrones... but the way the spirit speaks is a deep water. Jesus corrected them. All this talk about "the kingdom of God"! The Pharisees [demanded] an answer now! This verse says a whole lot, but for now, notice what the Holy One of God said about the kingdom of God this time:
*[Luke 17:20-24] And when he (JESUS) was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is [ * within ] you. And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
So the "kingdom of God does not come with observation", and "here or there" is anywhere. Anywhere, even Jerusalem, and anytime.
"For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day."
Jesus said they would not see "on of his days", and that "his day" comes as lightning. So this is a "lightning" that man can't see. This is symbolism. This is total and complete power and dominion. The throne of his glory is as the lightning lights up the dark sky all around you, not here or there, but everywhere. So too is the kingdom of God.
Jesus, He reigns in the kingdom of God, the kingdom is inside of me. The kingdom of God, what a mysterious thing.
The throne of David was established before the throne of God in the highest heaven. His reign is not limited to a thousand years, His reign has no end, He reigns forever. As surely as Jesus sits at the right hand of the power of God now and forever, the twelve Apostles have received their thrones of judgment in a place of honor, and the blessed firstfruits have received their reward for preaching the gospel, first to preach, first to die. Because eternal life is the promise, there is no more death. That is what Christ has done for us.
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